Measuring device with TOF sensor

A measuring device for acquiring a three-dimensional measuring point related to a target in a scene, the measuring device comprises:

• a base unit,
• a support unit mounted on the base unit and rotatable relative to the base unit around an azimuth axis,
• a distance measuring unit comprising an emitting unit configured for emitting collimated measuring radiation and a receiving unit configured for detecting at least a part of the collimated measuring radiation reflected by the target,
• a directing unit arranged at the support unit, rotatable relative to the support unit around an elevation axis, and configured for directing the collimated measuring radiation towards the scene,
• a capturing unit configured for capturing at least a scene image of at least part of the scene,
• an illumination unit configured for illuminating at least a part of the scene with illumination radiation, wherein the illumination radiation comprises a modulated illumination signal, and
• a controlling and processing unit configured at least for aligning the directing unit,
• wherein:
• the capturing unit comprises a Time-Of-Flight (TOF) sensor, wherein the TOF sensor is configured for providing:
• the scene image by generating pixel-related image data, wherein the scene image is generated by detection of visual-spectrum and/or near-infrared-spectrum light by means of the TOF sensor, and
• pixel-related TOF data of at least part of the scene, the TOF data comprises at least range data and/or amplitude data for each pixel,
• the pixel-related TOF data is associated with the pixel-related image data so that each pixel of the pixel-related TOF data is assigned to at least one pixel of the pixel-related image data,
• the controlling and processing unit comprises a target search functionality which is configured for controlling the target illumination unit so that at least a part of the scene is illuminated and for controlling the TOF sensor so that pixel-related TOF data of at least a part of the illuminated scene is obtained as search data, wherein illuminating at least a part of the scene and obtaining the search data are synchronised so that the search data is obtained for at least the part of the scene which is illuminated, and
• the controlling and processing unit comprises a target identification functionality which is configured to process the search data and to derive target information based on the search data, wherein the target information comprises a direction to the target with respect to the measuring device and TOF data associated to the target.